The Panelist, Lunch with the In-Laws, and Strained Peaches
by needdl
Summary: They had plans that day to meet up for lunch after Tenten's work event, but Neji was feeling rather spontaneous.


part of the same universe as my story _Mystery Man and the Meet Gross_ ; featuring my nejiten fan baby from my other story _Shifting (_ which is decidedly not from the same universe). this is part of a larger series of eight or so parts, which will for the most part be posted as individual oneshots. updates will be sporadic, if i'm being honest, but i've got all but one part written already

* * *

Neji entered the lecture hall as quietly as he could, shifting his grip under Hui Na's legs and adjusting the bag over his shoulder to open the door.

Hui Na blinked sleepily at the students that turned to look at them, holding at her blanket with one hand as she clutched at Neji's collar with the other. Neji couldn't help the smugness that rose in him as several students smiled at her- of course they did, Hui Na was adorable.

He sat down in an unoccupied seat in the last few rows, putting the diaper bag on the floor and settling Hui Na in his lap. She pulled her pacifier out of her mouth, considered it, then offered it to him for inspection.

He grinned at her and said quietly, "You keep it."

Hui Na let out a little chortle, then popped her pacifier back in her mouth and started looking around the room with interest.

Neji focused his own attention down to the podium and panel of speakers on a raised platform at the very bottom level, smiling softly when he spotted Tenten listening raptly to the current speaker with her legs crossed and a microphone in hand.

The moderator called on another student, and though Neji was too far away to hear the question, he was more than able to see Tenten light up and bring the microphone to her mouth as she prepared to answer it.

"Okay, so for those who couldn't hear it…" Neji settled into the chair as she continued speaking, gesticulating wildly with one hand as she answered the question. She was bright and engaging, and even as a different panelist started speaking he kept watching her.

Hui Na fussed a little in his lap, and he began bouncing his leg to keep her sated as he dug her teething ring out of the diaper bag. She accepted it from him gleefully, opening her mouth and letting the pacifier drop so she could stick in the teething ring. He caught the pacifier before it hit the ground and put it in the side pocket of the diaper bag- they'd lost far too many desperately needed pacifiers in the depths of the bag to risk the middle pouch any more.

Up on the podium, the moderator suddenly spoke. "Well, that's all the time we have. Our panelists will stick around to answer some individual questions. Thank you, Dr. Van, Dr. Huáng…"

The brief but intense look of pride that glowed on Tenten's face at the sound of her name attached to the title of "doctor" made Neji grin as he pressed a kiss to his daughter's head. Students were packing away their bags around them, and several headed down towards the front. Neji watched as Tenten, along with her peers, stood up and straightened her clothes absently as she headed down the platform to meet the students.

He cast a discerning eye over the crowd before deciding it was too big to get through to Tenten anytime soon. The lights above their head were still dimmed, so hopefully Tenten wouldn't be able to spot them amid the seats.

Hui Na pulled her teething ring out of her mouth and made a concerned noise, looking up at him with a pout. She waved the ring in the air and gurgled, still looking unspeakably sad.

"What's going on, little bird?" He asked her softly. She perked up once she realized she had his attention again, chattering at him in baby talk as she kicked her legs. "Oh, I see. You were feeling neglected."

She reached out to _thwap_ her hand against his face, giggling wildly as he playfully caught her fingers in his mouth and nibbled them. Naruto always complained that Hui Na didn't like him- which was fairly true- and that she was a boring, serious baby, which was blatantly false. She was just very selective with who she chose to play with.

Neji and Tenten were her natural favorites, of course, but she also liked Hanabi and Lee quite a bit, as well as Hinata and Sakura. She was still very skeptical of Gai (although he had coaxed quite a few belly laughs out of her with his ridiculous antics), and Naruto she blatantly disliked.

And it made Neji go ridiculously soft inside that she saved her broadest, goofiest grins for her parents.

When he next checked the podium much of the crowd had thinned, so he put away the teething ring and hoisted Hui Na up onto his hip, picking up the diaper bag again in the same movement. Neji started down the steps, absently bouncing his daughter on his hip as he walked. She cooed softly, reaching to grip his collar again as she clutched her blanket.

Neji stopped and waited at the edge of the crowd. He could just see Tenten past the last few students, grinning as she conversed with another panelist. She turned to smile at the last approaching student, and her eyes met Neji's over the crowd.

Her mouth fell open and she stared for a moment, before her face lit into a flustered, delighted smile.

"Neji- what-" She started towards them, and Hui Na let out an excited shriek as she neared. She held out her arms towards Tenten, chattering happily and laughing as Tenten lifted her up and blew a raspberry on her cheek. After she was finished pressing kisses all over her daughter's face, Tenten turned back to Neji.

"What are you guys doing here? We weren't going to meet up for another twenty minutes!"

"We wanted to surprise you," Neji murmured, dropping a quick kiss to her lips. "Dr. Huáng's first panel."

"I-" Tenten cut off, face flushed, and weakly threw an arm out to sock him in the shoulder.

The moderator called something to her, and she turned back to group, Hui Na propped on her hip, and had a quick conversation with another panelist. She turned back to Neji with a soft smile, saying "Let me grab my stuff, then we can head out-" and passed Hui Na back into his arms.

Hui Na gave him a wet grin, reaching for his hair to pull a strand into her mouth. He pushed her hand away and pulled the teething ring out of the bag again, which she was instantly interested in.

"Oh, by the way, this is my husband Neji and our daughter Hui Na. Neji, this is the head of the history department at the university, Yugao Uzuki."

"Nice to meet you." Neji murmured as he freed an arm to shake the moderator's hand. She was perhaps ten years older than Tenten, with an open expression that softened into a smile once she looked at Hui Na. Hui Na considered her carefully for a moment, before turning her face away with a snobbish huff.

Yugao didn't seem to notice, instead resuming her conversation with Tenten and a few other panelists. Hui Na instantly turned back to stare at her, drool making its way down her chin as she gummed her teething ring. She let out a plaintive noise that ended in a hum, popping her teething ring out of her mouth to wave it in the air.

She noticed Tenten approaching again and grinned, reaching out to be picked up. Tenten hoisted her above her head with a whoop, sending the baby into peals of laughter as Tenten whirled her through the air. Neji picked up Tenten's briefcase where she had put it down on the ground and followed her out the door.

* * *

Hiashi and Hanabi had unsurprisingly arrived early to the restaurant, and were idly talking to one another as they perused the menu. As the waiter sat them down the two of them looked up with identical polite smiles that broadened into genuine pleasure at the sight of Hui Na.

Babies certainly made a person popular, Neji mused to himself as Tenten passed Hui Na into Hanabi's eager arms.

Hui Na and Hanabi chattered excitedly to one another for a few moments before Hiashi cut in. "All right, my turn."

Hanabi turned to stare at him, mouth not quite agape. "Father, what-"

"My youngest child is almost twenty-five and never calls. I deserve to hold a baby." Hiashi said, his stoic expression belying the twinkle of dry humor in his eyes.

Tenten threw back her head and laughed at the affronted expression on Hanabi's face as Hiashi took Hui Na from her arms and smiled down at her. Hui Na took in his face and grinned, tilting her head back to peer up at him.

Hiashi looked very satisfied with himself. "Excellent."

* * *

Lunch went very well- something about Hiashi's presence always made Hui Na turn into the sweetest, best behaved baby of all time. She sat in the high chair they'd brought (the restaurant had been very accommodating when Neji called earlier, there really was something to be said for the influence of the Hyuga name) at the end of the table between Hiashi and Neji, making a mess of the peach puree they'd packed.

Neji was doing his best to feed her, but she was much more interested in giggling over the faces Hanabi pulled at her between conversations with Tenten and Hiashi. Despite this (and in a prime example of her baby logic) she complained whenever she noticed everyone else eating and wasn't being offered a bite herself.

Eventually Neji ran out of baby food, and Tenten dug some wet wipes out of the diaper bag to clean up Hui Na. The baby tolerated it when her hands were wiped clean, but put up a fuss when Neji tried to wipe down her mouth and cheeks.

After a few moments of resistance, Hui Na let out the guttural whimpers that preceded a full-grown crying session, screwing up her face and jerking her head back as Neji continued wiping off her mouth.

"I know," Neji told her, "Your life is very hard. Hold still, sweetheart-"

Hui Na let out a sob that quickly escalated into a wail, hands clenched into tiny fists as she unleashed her misery. Neji continued to wipe off her face, which prompted Hanabi to snark, "Wow, Neji, I can't believe how horrible you treat your own baby."

Neji shot her a venomous look as he finally wiped the last bits of peach off Hui Na's face. Hanabi grinned, completely unrepentant. Hui Na, realizing she was being ignored, sobbed louder and turned plaintive, tear-filled eyes onto Tenten.

Tenten propped her chin on her hand and looked on, undisturbed. She even made a sad face at Hui Na, sticking out her lower lip and lowering her brows in a comically tragic pout.

Neji scowled at her. "For heaven's sake, Tenten, don't mock babies. It's not as though she understands it."

Hanabi snorted. "Because _that's_ why you shouldn't mock babies. Too low of a comprehension level."

Hiashi stood up and picked up Hui Na from her high chair. "Hui Na and I will go outside to calm down a little. I suppose you will all stay here and argue over pragmatics."

Hanabi had the grace to look slightly abashed, while Neji pulled Hui Na's pacifier out of the bag and silently offered it up to Hiashi. He took it and swept grandly towards the outdoor area, Hui Na whimpering against his shoulder.

The door closed behind him, and Tenten immediately doubled over in laughter. Neji sighed and sat back in his chair, rubbing his brow. "Tenten."

She turned her head to peek up at him, one hand over her mouth in a doomed effort to contain her giggles. Hanabi looked confused.

"Uh, what-?"

"Oh-" Tenten sat up, laughter abating a little. "It's just- Neji's done that exact thing!" She let out another peal of laughter as Neji huffed and took a long pull from his drink. "He like- he gets all righteous, and then he just _sweeps_ away like that-" Hanabi was starting to grin too. "And now I know where he gets it!"

"Don't be ridiculous, it's not an inheritable trait-" Neji began. Hanabi grinned and pointed at him joyously.

"What a righteous tone, Neji! Are you going to get up and storm away?"

Tenten positively cackled. Neji scowled at them both. "He's your father, Hanabi. You share far more characteristics with him than you admit."

She waved a dismissive hand. "Please. Neither me nor Hinata have ever had _that_ particular flair for dramatics. That's all you."

"Wonderful," he muttered.

Tenten softened. "Aw, Neji." She scootched her chair closer to him and wrapped both her arms around one of his, propping her chin on his shoulder to look up at him. "It's okay. I love you even though you're a drama queen."

He gave her a flat look, but gave in when she tugged him closer to press a kiss to his mouth.

Hanabi sipped her wine elegantly, pulling a face at their interaction. "Gross."

* * *

Though Hiashi was able to get Hui Na to cheer up- because of course he did- Neji and Tenten thought it best to get her home and put her down for her nap.

What followed was a very polite argument between the two of them and Hiashi about who would pay for the bill, with Hanabi graciously allowing someone to cover it for her.

Finally, Tenten smacked her card on the table and yelled to Neji, "Quick, take the baby and run!" to which Hiashi sighed and informed them he would be buying Hui Na a very expensive present soon.

"Great!" Tenten replied, jaw set in defiance. "Then I'll buy one for Hanabi."

"Ooh," Hanabi said. "I want the same thing Hui Na gets."

* * *

Hui Na cried off and on through the car ride home, but once Tenten unloaded her from the car and put her down for her nap she went down without a problem. Neji brought in the diaper bag and the high chair, and was washing off the food tray when Tenten padded up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Is she sleeping?" He asked quietly.

"Yep," Tenten leaned against his back and rested her cheek on his shoulder blade. "She was pretty tuckered out." Neji made a sound of assent and grabbed the scraper to get off a stubborn bit of dried peach.

Tenten leaned up on tiptoe to peer over his shoulder. "Is washing the food tray _that_ much more interesting than me?"

"It's certainly more difficult to clean."

"Whatever," she muttered. "I'll just go wither away, all alone."

Neji got off the last bits of peach and put the tray in the drying rack. "You know how Hui Na always gets fussy when she's ignored?"

"What?" Tenten retracted herself from the hug, blinking up at him in confusion at the non sequitur.

"Whenever she feels as though she'd not getting enough attention," Neji turned to face her, throwing the towel over his shoulder as he leaned back against the counter, arms crossed. "She starts acting very sad, and then fake cries."

"Yeah, so?"

Neji grinned. "Well, we know who she gets it from."

Tenten's mouth fell open indignantly. "Ex- _cuse_ me?"

Neji just chuckled and stared her down.

"Are you suggesting that I fake sadness for attention?"

"Not in so many words…" Neji leaned over and kissed her temple. "But yes."

Tenten thought on it for a moment, before shrugging. "Oh, well. You're already married to me."

"That's true," Neji replied, kissing her cheek. He put his hands on her waist and drew her towards himself.

"Plus we have a kid."

"Also true," he kissed the edge of her jaw and folded his hands over the small of her back.

"Too… late…" She sighed as he pressed slow kisses on her neck, hands rising to rest on his shoulders. "...Too late to back out."

"Mm." He drew back a little and rested his forehead against hers.

"... stop derailing me."

He smirked. "It's not even remotely difficult."

Her hand socked into his shoulder and she turned away with a pout. He laughed quietly, raising a hand to guide her chin back towards him.

She met him halfway for a kiss, hands sliding up to link around his neck as he cupped her jaw in his hand.

They seperated after a few moments, and Tenten stepped back with a sigh. "I'm going to get changed."

Neji took in her black pantsuit and low heels. "Is that your maternity set?"

"Maternity pants, but the blouse and jacket are from before." She poked at the shirt buttons with a contemplative frown. "I'm busting out a little though."

Neji lowered his eyes to where the fabric strained against the buttons. "So it appears." He apparently kept his eyes in the area just a little too long, because when he next looked at Tenten she was raising her eyebrows at him.

"Something interesting to you?"

He couldn't help but smirk. "A couple of things, really."

She stared at him, mouth set in a flat, unapproving line. Finally she pushed past him towards their bedroom, saying "I guess you win that one on technicality."

Neji chuckled and turned back to the dishes.


End file.
